With the Hands up in the Air
by Almost Something
Summary: When the unthinkable happens, how will everyone react? WJ. Contains no spoiler, and takes place somewhere in the middle of season 4.
1. Somewhere

_**A/N:** Sorry, I know it's very, very short. But: I'll post the next chapter today, it's almost finished by now. This was just the introducion ;0)_

**Chapter I: Somewhere**

When he opened his eyes, he was startled to find a pair of bright honey-colored ones staring down at him, wearing an almost frightened expression. Seeing he was wide awake, her gaze turned all professional, but there was something else, too. Something that had been missing far too long for his liking, even though he couldn't place it now. He tried to smile, but found he wasn't able to. A sharp pain shot through the lower half of his face, making him wince. He dimly wondered how they had even managed to fasten the bandage there.

"Hey."

Her voice held an unusual warmth, embracing him like a soft blanket on a cold winter day. And she was as welcome. But when he tried to respond, he found he couldn't speak at all. A moment of sheer panic flared within him, but she had already seen his struggling and was at his side in an instance.

"It's okay! Just don't try to speak. You still need that breathing tube. Just nod or shake your head, will you?"

He did as told, even though it hurt like hell. This time she caught his grimace.

"Are you in much pain? Do I need to call the nurse? Is there anything I can –"

She stopped when his questioning fingers found her cold hand and squeezed it gently. Almost ashamed, she lowered her gaze to the floor. He couldn't see it, but he knew she was toying around with the laces of her shoes, twisting them back and forth in a rapid motion.  
Suddenly, he felt the overwhelming urge to run his fingers through her soft chestnut curls and tell her everything would be alright. But he couldn't, not now.  
His frustrated sigh made her turn her head up again, her eyes wide with worry.

"That's it. I'm gonna call the doctor."

Before he even had a change to protest, her hand had slipped out of his and she was gone.

If he hadn't been hurting so badly, he'd have chuckled.


	2. She Ain't Right

**Chapter II: She Ain't Right**

Her arrival was announced by the steady _thump thump _of hospital shoes slapping against the freshly polished flooring.

It was hardly a comforting sound, and Woody found himself inching ever-so-slightly under his covers, preparing for a throughout inspection by each of the medics.

The more he was surprised when the steps didn't even slow down when they reached his door and only a much lighter pair of sneakers could be heard behind them. Straining to hear something else, he noticed a decidedly feminine voice interrupting the nonsense chitchat with a somehow unnecessary force, not letting any room for arguments.

_"You can't honestly be serious about that! His medication is way too low, and you don't even consider a stronger remedy? What the hell is wrong with you people! I worked around here long enough to know what's able to cover the pain and what's not. This is not! When you really don't care a shit for your patients, then at least try and tell them the truth why you are not able to move heaven and hell to ease their ache!"_

At this point, faint whistles could be heard.

Woody sank further into his bedding, wishfully trying to ignore Jordan's voice, but he couldn't quite say she hadn't poked his curiosity with her rant. Now what _was _wrong with his medication?

He hadn't felt a change for the worst in the last few minutes, and despite her fear, he wasn't in that much pain. It only got nasty when he tried to move his head in some way.

_"Please be more quiet. Those patients need their rest."_

Well, that was not Jordan… but he had a feeling he'd be hearing that voice again very soon. It moved closer.

The next words were nearby and he still couldn't make out why this person wasn't making that annoying shoe-sound on the floor. After all, he could hear Jordan's steps. Yet it sounded as if the voice belonged to a younger girl – maybe a student.

"_I told you, he's already asleep."_

Asleep? Woody blinked. He wasn't asleep, not by any stretch of the word.

The room was darkened, but he still could see clearly, even though he still wasn't able to tell where Jordan and that girl were standing. They had to be just outside his room.

When Jordan spoke again, he breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn't angry anymore. Her tentative words almost didn't reach his ears.

"Woody? Are you sleeping?"

He briefly wondered how she wanted him to answer that question, but she was already inside and could see he wasn't. At least not yet… he was beginning to feel really drowsy.

The last thing he noticed before his eyes flattered shut was the warm, comforting touch of her fingers mussing his already messed up hair.


	3. Nowhere

When he woke up again, the room felt awfully empty. Gone was even the last trace of her unique perfume, and he found himself wondering if he had imagined the last hours. But then, his unsettled fingers found something small nestled against the bed frame, almost unnoticeable.

The metal felt somewhat lively, comforting and warm against his hand, and he tightly held onto the tiny locket, knowing without a doubt it was hers… the very same he had returned to her after the burglary. It seemed so long ago – almost like a lifetime away.

So much had happened – or not – between them after that day, so many things couldn't have gone worse… but yet here they were. Himself lying in a hospital bed and longing to talk to her, and Jordan… yes, where was she? His guess was somewhere between Connecticut and the cafeteria.

With a little, painful smile, he lifted his hand to take a better look at the object of his curiosity… and a cold fear ran down his spine, settling into his mind and letting not much space for rational thoughts. He could feel the locket… he could grasp it… but he couldn't move his arm.

* * *

It was hard to stay calm.

When he had tried to lift his other arm, he had gotten the same result there… and it occurred to him that it wasn't just a normal bar fight he had been involved in. But he couldn't exactly remember what happened. The last thing he knew was walking down the precinct with Jordan… someone was calling him on his cell. He stopped for a second to answer it… and then things got hazy. The next thing he remembered was waking up here, with an aching jaw, evidently bruises all over his body and as much as no feeling in his arms. What had happened? And what a role played Jordan in this? She had to know something. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been this angry about his medication. He vaguely remembered her talking-or rather screaming-at the nurses because she though his medication was too low… too low for what? Numb him? If that was the case, she had failed.

But he shouldn't really jump on conclusions now, not before he knew what really happened.

"Are you okay?"

The small voice stopped his useless thoughts. He wanted to respond, and was surprised he actually could.. no tube was down his throat anymore. They must had gotten it out while he was asleep.

"No, I'm not! What the hell is wrong with- "

Woody stopped himself when he noticed who he was talking to… a girl. A little girl. A very little girl, looking strangely familiar.

Confused, he tried to place her somewhere in his memory, but he was sure he had never seen her before.

She was barely seven, he guessed. And with her long, chocolate-colored hair and hazel eyes, she was certainly cute, almost like an angel. But why would she care about him?

"I'm sorry. It's just… could you please get a doctor? I don't feel so well."

And he didn't. His throat was awfully sore, his ribs hurt, and his lungs felt as if they were just about to explode. No, he wasn't feeling well.

To his amazement, the girl grinned. And shook her head.

"Nope. I'm gonna go and fetch Jo."

* * *

She wasn't kidding, he found out.

Two minutes later, she was back, an instantly concerned and alerted Jordan in tow.

"Oh God, I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have left, I was just trying to get an update on your condition from one of the doctors, and then Jess came and told me you're awake. How do you feel?"


	4. Nothing Is Wrong

_**A/N:** Oh my God - I finally updated! I'm really, really sorry for the delay, but I was too busy to write more than two sentences at a time. Thanks to nattylovesjordy for beta-ing this chapter.. she was a great help. And thanks to all of you who took their time to review my previous chapters - they were greatly appreciated!_

"You think he'll wake up again?"

It wasn't louder than a whisper, but spoken in a crisp, clear voice. A little sore, maybe. But still.. it belonged to a small person. It was the same voice he had heard in his dreams over the last few nights. Or, he had assumed that it was night.

He couldn't really tell because of the dimmed light and the closed curtains. She had always been sitting right beside him.. silently reading a book or magazine. He had never seen her asleep.

"Of course. Why do you think he won't?"

"He only woke up twice in the last five days, Jo. It's just not realistic to think the way you do."

There was a beat before she spoke again, but this time, her voice was bright, cheerful. Way too cheerful to be really convincing.

"Oh _please_. You do so not know what I think, Jess. It's only.."

But he didn't get to know what it was. His own, unsolved exhaustion took over and shut his body down again.

* * *

"You've got to tell him." 

"How?" And, more specifically, _why_? But Jordan didn't voice that question… neither asked she herself why she was discussing this with a ten-year old.

"He has the right to know. He deserves the truth. I think we all do," she added cautiously.

"No! Not yet. He will need to understand, and he can't do that now."

"Why? Because he got into a stupid fight like a little boy and needed to be stitched up? Poor guy.." Her grin wasn't really amused. It was more like a grimace.

"Because he got pneumonia _and_ the wrong medication!"

"There's no need to shout at me."

Turning away in frustration, Jordan took some steps towards the entry of the hospital, but then stopped. Again.

"You coming or what?"

"Go ahead, I'll.. I'll just stay here a little longer."

"Okay. Still have your pager?"

"Yes."

"I'll let you know when there's a change, alright? Just don't leave without telling me."

"Haha."

Jordans smile softened, at least a bit.

"I'm sorry, Jess."

"What for?"

"For being such a..."

"It's okay."

"Really?"

"Yeah. You help me, I help you.. that's the way it goes."

"Since when?"

"Since I decided that we really should try this thing out."

"You decided that, huh?"

Jess nodded in agreement.

"I think it's time you tell Woody. At least about me."

It weren't the warm hazel eyes that finally settled everything.

And it wasn't the lovely sparkle in them, either.

No, it really was none of the above. It was the short sentence she spoke just as Jordan was about to finally enter the hospital again.

"Please, Mum."

* * *

_I just can't write long chapters. Sorry ) But I'm working on improving. But please guys.. review it anyway?  
_


	5. Too Damn Predictable

_A/N: First of all, I **am **sorry I left you so long ago. I know it may not sound really convincing, but I didn't stay away because I didn't want to write the next chapter or because I didn't have time... I just wasn't able to. Call it writer's block, call it my-brain-just-got-smashed-against-a-brick-wall disease... I really don't care. But I wanted to apologize anyway. It wasn't right._

Whatever it was that drew her back to his room, she wasn't sure. Tip-toeing inside, she found him facing the ceiling, his usually cheerful face clouded with something far deeper than simple remorse or guilt. It was a thoughtfulness she hadn't seen for a long time, and she wasn't sure she liked being confronted with it right now.

"How do you make it stop?"

She swallowed, gaining enough bravery in the process to step forward, her mind racing. She wasn't sure his question was a rhetorical one. But she couldn't come up with a sly remark on that, no matter how much she tried. Not while he was trying to make sense of something he didn't even have the slightest control over. Not when he didn't even look at her.

"Make what stop?"

"The confusion."

He wasn't going to make this simple on her, and she accepted his choice with a barely perceivable nod. He turned around. Her heart shook for the smallest moment, reminding her just how long it had been, when their eyes met... honey and sapphire. _Almost,_ she mused grimly, _almost poetic_.

She'd expected to see the emotions ranging in his eyes – but the underlying touches of cold, hard anger and bitterness scared her.

And the question she was about to ask could change the one thing still hovering between them for good... or she would make everything worse. It wasn't fair.

"What would you like to know?"

"I want to know what happened – what_ really_ happened while I was out of it. I want to know what's wrong with me."

He seemed calm enough to tell him, so Jordan did.

"You got in a fight with Seely some time ago – Annie said she broke your coffee mug accidentally, the one with that stupid bird on it. You thought Seely did it, but he denied it. So you got angry and shoved him. Next thing we know, you're on the floor. Seely must have been a bit overenthusiastic. Anyway, you hit your head hard. Everyone was worried because you didn't wake up right away, and suddenly, the people around here started talking about head trauma and coma. You.. you stopped breathing more than once."

She paused, wanting for her words sink in, but she also knew that hadn't been what he'd really longed to hear from her.

"Seems like the nurses in the ER mistook someone else's chart for yours, so they mixed the meds, too. That's what eventually caused the brief paralysis. You're feeling constantly tired because your body has to get used to a normal rhythm again."

"It's been a long time, Jordan." She wasn't able to tell what exactly he was getting at, though she thought she had a fairly accurate theory, and she didn't really like it, either.

"Yes."

"How long?"

"Two years, Woody. You've been in a coma for two years."

The silence was defeating. It took all her will power not to budge, not to move a muscle until _he _decided she could flee into the strangely comforting walls surrounding her home. So she didn't. Instead, she hesitantly moved closer and took his hand in hers again. He didn't flinch, but he didn't acknowledge her touch either. He kept his head down, not letting her see his face. If he was truthful, he was afraid. Afraid of what he would see in her eyes – sympathy? He wasn't sure. It had been a long time, indeed. For both of them.

He was startled when he felt something warm and wet dropping onto his hand. Realizing it weren't his own tears soaking the bed, he cursed inwardly, scooting over and pulling her weakly resisting form in after him, not letting her come to rest until she was snuggled up as close to him as possible. It felt good to have her in his arms again.


	6. Guilty

_A/N: So here it is... the last one. I'm too lazy to break this into multiple chapters. Thanks for still reading and letting me know what you enjoyed and what not. I might make a small series out of it, but not in the next few weeks since I need to get other stories somewhat closer near the end!_

* * *

Outside, Jess was slowly counting backwards from 100. It didn't help. Maybe she was just as tired as everyone else, but the feeling of uneasyness didn't leave her, not even as she sat down on a nearby bench and let her eyes slide shut for a moment.

"_Jessica Alexa Simons! Get your ass down here, now!" Jess awoke with a start. Why was her mother shouting like that?_

_"__Coming!" She quickly jumped from her bed, causing the old springs to creak in protest, and made a beeline for her clothes. She didn't have the guts to face her obviously agitated parent still in her jammies. Undressing as quickly as she could wasn't fast enough, obviously. She could hear her mother stomping up the stairs._

_____Just as Jess was about to grab her jeans, the door to her room was thrown open with an alarming loud bang._

_____"__Ma, I'm not dressed," she shrieked, trying to hide behind her desk._

_______"__Don't care. What the fuck happened yesterday with Mark? Didn't I tell you to behave? DIDN'T I TELL YOU TO DO EVERYTHING HE WANTED?"_

_________"__Ma, please stop screaming." Jess hated her mother when she was like this, and she couldn't stop the tears already pooling in her eyes. When she did nothing to defend herself, the older woman pulled her up from the floor, not very gently, and made a move to drag her out of her room. Jess was petrified, the tears pouring freely down her face by now... but her mother wouldn't stop. She never did._

___________"__Let me go! I didn't want to annoy Mark, I just didn't want him to see me like that! I didn't -"_

_____________"__DON'T tell me what you didn't want to do, you stupid slut! I KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, and I'm going to make you pay for it!"_

_________________With that, she pushed Jess towards the stairs, shoving the small girl finally down with a satisfied laugh.  
_

* * *

_________________The ER was quiet on Saturday._

___________________People seemed to have better things to do than getting hurt, and nobody in the waiting area looked seriously injured. Nurse Susan was debating whether to leave her co-workers early and go Christmas shopping or not, but when she heard the unmistakable sound of sirens flying down the streets, her decision was made in an instance._

_____________________Even though she'd been expecting it, she winced when the entrance door flew open._

_____________________"__Nine-year-old, blunt head trauma. Crashed at the scene once, but the bleeding was stopped before we got there. Neighbour found her after she didn't show up at five for watching TV. Called her in as soon as she found her on the floor next to the stairs, but __since we don't know how long she's been unconscious, we also can't exclude cerebral haemorrhage. We need an MRI!"_

_________________________Susan sprung into action. The kid was stable right now, but they needed to know how big the damage to her brain was before anything. The head scan would help._

_________________________"__Honey, can you open your eyes?" She softly asked, not wanting to scare the small girl. She was surprised when she actually did._

___________________________"__Hey. You are in a hospital, we need to check you out. Do you remember what happened?"_

_____________________________"__Y-yes," the answer came haltingly,_

_____________________________"__but I'm okay."_

_________________________________Susan stared at her. The girl didn't seem scared, or even confused. She looked around, moved carefully, talked. And yet she still lost almost half of the blood in her body._

_________________________________"__Really," Jess pointed out. Her head hurt, but not as much as the first times, the pain was bearable. She didn't understand why the nurse looked so stricken._

___________________________________"__Look, I don't need to be here. Could you please just call my father and tell him to pick me up?"_

_______________________________________Jess hadn't meant to sound snappy, but it didn't matter. Susan still looked as if she was about to loose her dinner. When she spoke, her voice was detached._

_______________________________________"__But sweetheart, we already called him. He said he couldn't. They called your mother instead, and she's coming in at any time."_

_________________________________________"__NO! You had no right to do that, she will-" But her words were interrupted when the doors swung open again and another person came running towards them, tears streaming down her pretty face, stopping aprubtly within a few feet from the gurney._

_____________________________________________Despite her recent words, Jess' face lightened up. She pushed herself into a sitting position, reaching out for the other girl who went willingly into her embrace._

_____________________________________________"__Glad you're okay," Jordan mumbled._

_______________________________________________"__I wouldn't have known what to do without you. When you didn't come and I saw you there.. I just.. I couldn't.. just.. wasn't fair."_

___________________________________________________Now it was Jess' turn to look surprised. She pulled back a little, trying to have a better look at Jordan._

___________________________________________________"__Jo, you couldn't have.. known." She paused._

_____________________________________________________"__Oh, go on, Jessica! Tell her everything. And you... get the hell off of my daughter!"_

_________________________________________________________Both of them looked up, startled, to see Jess' mother. But Jordan didn't budge.She took the small girl's hand in her own and squeezed it gently, reassuring her it would be alright. Jess wasn't fazed, though.She kept cool, trying hard not to loose it, especially when Jordan finally stood up from the gurney and stepped cautiosly towards Mrs. Simons._

___________________________________________________________Susan noticed the subtle way her fists clenched, but she didn't do anything. She would wait – for what, she wasn't sure. The last few minutes had told her a lot about both her patient and the pretty stranger, and she only hoped it would end in a better way than it started. First, that woman who came in first wasn't related to the girl. It seemed like she was the neighbour who saved Jess. And then, of course, there was the way the two of them acted. Like.. close friends. Or family. It was intriguing. But now the other woman – evidently Jess' belated mother – had appeared, she felt a change in the air. Tension._

___________________________________________________________"__You better leave before the police makes it down here."_

_____________________________________________________________"__Oh, really? Why would they even bother? I know what happened to your mother, Cavanaugh. They think you're crazy. They won't come. But what if I tell them how you keep molesting my daughter? I bet they would love to see that."_

_________________________________________________________________Jordan stepped closer, her voice lowering._

_________________________________________________________________"__Yeah. And I bet you'd love them to pay for __**that**__, too."_

_____________________________________________________________________Mrs. Simons blanched slightly._

_____________________________________________________________________"__Don't you dare to speak to me like that!"_

_______________________________________________________________________"__Like what? Like I know what happens in your house every day? Like I think you're not even worth any effort?"_

___________________________________________________________________________She took another step towards the other woman, invading her personal space._

___________________________________________________________________________"__Maybe that's because I know __**exactly**__ what's going on."_

_______________________________________________________________________________Susan didn't need to hear more. She finally realized how everything fit together, and it was worse than she'd thought. So Jess hadn't accidentally fallen down the stairs. Maybe her mother had pushed her. She was certainly capable of that. And more, if Jordan spoke the truth._

_______________________________________________________________________________"__I'm calling Child Services."_

_______________________________________________________________________________"Jess!"_

_______________________________________________________________________________"Mh..." She didn't want to open her eyes. But when the familiar voice called out again, she sat up gingerly, wincing at the stiffness of her muscles. Sleeping on a park bench wasn't so wise._

_______________________________________________________________________________"Yes?"_

_______________________________________________________________________________"It's time."_

_______________________________________________________________________________For a moment, the girl was confused. But then the sleepy haze vanished completely and was replaced with sudden understanding. It was time. Time to tell him._

_______________________________________________________________________________"Coming."_

_______________________________________________________________________________"So... she went to jail?"_

_______________________________________________________________________________Jess nodded. It wasn't a happy story, but it was **her **story._

_______________________________________________________________________________"Yeah. For at least ten years."_

_______________________________________________________________________________Woody could only shake his head. He was lying in the bed, propped up on oh-so-many pillows, Jordan and Jess seated next to him. Sometimes, he couldn't understand what made people tick. How could a woman sell her own daughter to complete strangers? He felt sympathy for the girl, but.. also affection. She was a great kid, and Jordan obviously loved her quite a lot. But he still didn't understand._

_______________________________________________________________________________Jordan sensed his confusion. Lacing her fingers with his once again, she leaned down and brushed a chaste kiss over his lips._

_______________________________________________________________________________"I was never one to give up, Woods. I always get what I want," she finally whispered._

_________________________________________________________________________________FIN_


End file.
